AFM officer to attend course in Belgium

An Armed Forces of Malta aircraft maintenance engineer is to attend a specialist course on the Alouette helicopter at the Belgian Air Arm School in Saffranberg.

An army spokesman said that under an agreement signed with the Belgian armed forces, the course fees have been waived and the AFM will only need to cover air travel costs and minor lodging expenses.

The spokesman said the AFM was confident that the relationship that has been established with the Belgian armed forces could be further developed.

Over the past 30 years, the AFM have established and developed relationships with a number of friendly countries. These relationships have taken various forms, ranging from cooperation in military and non-military matters, participation in joint exercises and operations especially in the search and rescue sector, donation of equipment and training assistance.

The relationship with the Belgian forces started about 20 months ago when arrangements were made for a group of AFM officers to carry out a battlefield tour in Belgium and the Netherlands as part of their preparation for the promotion exams.

The Belgians had approved an AFM request to provide board and lodging as well as road transport to take the officers to various World War II sites of interest to their field of study.